Posts Tagged ‘Personal care’

When it comes to keeping breast cancer risk as low as it can be, our best bet is to avoid using cleaning and personal products that contain chemicals linked to cancer. Some of us may be drawn to products labeled “green,” or “natural” because these words suggest that the manufacturer has carefully checked the safety of the product’s ingredients. And on this Earth Day 2015,…

Referred to politely as “irregularity,” constipation happens to all of us once in a while. If you’re being treated for breast cancer, you might have it more often. Chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, some targeted therapies, and many pain medicines are known to cause constipation. You also may have constipation alternating with diarrhea. But whether you’re constipated a couple times a year or once a week, struggling…

The need for safe, effective birth control is shared by many women around the world. More than 10 million American women use birth control pills — and many use this method of contraception for long periods of time. If you’re one of them, you know why: the tiny pills are easy to take and extremely effective if you take them as directed. Plus, they help…

Patients often ask me about things they’re exposed to every day that might increase cancer risk. Sometimes, the answers are straightforward: No, microwave ovens aren’t linked to cancer; yes, smoking is. Far more often, though, the answer is cloudier. In many cases, it’s hard for science to find a firm link between things we suspect are making us sick and a specific disease. That’s because…

When it comes to our hair, we often want what we haven’t got. This seems particularly true when it comes to glossy, straight hair. Practically no one is born with it, so we end up forcing our hair into the style we want.

As someone who’s always had curly hair, I’m married to my anti-frizz cream. But I use curling irons and blow dryers to…

Like washing our hands and moisturizing our skin, brushing our teeth is an everyday habit that’s 100% routine. We do it without thinking about it at all.

Once in a while, though, we should. In the past, we’ve talked about making safe soap and moisturizer choices. Now it’s time to give toothpaste some attention, too. Any product you use every day is worth…

Everybody is greatly relieved when their hair grows back after chemotherapy. But its color and texture may be different than what you remember. Soft curls may require new products to manage them. Women who dyed their hair for years are often surprised by the amount of gray. It’s usually because the hair is just growing back in its natural, undyed state — which they may…